lesstoneuk
Part of the e-furniture
Retired Omnibus navigation & velocity adjustment technician
Posts: 373
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Post by lesstoneuk on May 5, 2021 9:37:07 GMT
Of course, things started going downhill when they removed the manual ignition advance/retard control... No, it was before that.... When they took the boiler out of cars and put in the infernal combustion engine in.
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peteh
Statesman
Still making mistakes!
Posts: 760
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Post by peteh on May 6, 2021 0:02:39 GMT
Nah - when they took the lackey with the red flag away
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tigermoth
Seasoned Member
Birthday 27 Aug 1941
Posts: 141
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Post by tigermoth on May 13, 2021 17:09:41 GMT
God we are looking back now to the good old days (and they were) I was apprenticed to a garage (started on my 15 birthday) got laid off at Christmas because of the Suez crisis, any way, the first motor I ever (excluding dads Triumph) was an ex army 3 ton Bedford, the one with the bar across the front and a hole in the roof for a navigator, I was 13 at the time, during the garage 5 months I drove an Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire, a lot of Vauxhall Cresta, Velox, Wyverns, and a load of older motors that were in for service/repair, oh and something with a pre select gearbox, (interesting to say the least) by time I was 17 I was driving an Albion box van with a gate change box, if you missed a gear with that you had to stop and start again from 1st.
Passed my car test at 17 (god knows how) the examiner must have felt sorry for me, I had a few lessons in a car with the CFO of the local fire station who said that there was nothing he could teach me, he was going to have to unteach me all the bad habits I had.
You could take a gearbox to bits by the side of the road and even with the bits of dirt, could put it together again and it worked, how about putting new cork inserts into a clutch also by the side of the road, taking a link out of the drive chain on a Tiger Cub when the chain was worn out.
Today, I take the motors to a mate and let him service/repair both of them, just cannot be bothered now days.
Norman
How about all those side valve engines that you had to set up with a feeler gauge and 2 spanners, have known owners cut a hole in the inner wing to see what they were doing
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stevep
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,070
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Post by stevep on May 13, 2021 17:17:36 GMT
I remember blowing a head gasket on the M6 on my way back to university in Edinburgh. I phoned the RAC and got them to deliver a head gasket to me. By the time they arrived, I had the head off, and duly changed the gasket and went on my way. Can't remember what I did for water.
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Post by ettingtonliam on May 13, 2021 19:42:45 GMT
I seem to recall a prewar car (Morris 8 perhaps) which had a removable panel on the inside of the wing to allow for access to the tappets. This was from new, not just a 'get around' by an ingenious owner. A couple of times I've cut an access hole in the bulkhead to get at otherwise inaccessable bits at the back of the engine. One was to renew a leaking core plug on a Landrover, the other was on a Lada (I know, i know, but it was cheap) to enable me to change the starter motor, because unless you took the engine out, you couldn't get at the fixing bolts on the starter. The V8 engine on a Ford Pilot didn't have easily adjustable tappets, you had to grind a bit off the end of the valve to restore clearance as the gap closed up due to the valves bedding in. Then there was the Citroen which had to have the engine removed to change a suspension ball joint---.
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Post by simplyloco on May 13, 2021 19:51:59 GMT
I remember blowing a head gasket on the M6 on my way back to university in Edinburgh. I phoned the RAC and got them to deliver a head gasket to me. By the time they arrived, I had the head off, and duly changed the gasket and went on my way. Can't remember what I did for water. My old car ran out of water once when I was giving two of my Army mates a weekend lift home. Luckily as we had been to the pub beforehand between us we were able to save the situation...
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lesstoneuk
Part of the e-furniture
Retired Omnibus navigation & velocity adjustment technician
Posts: 373
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Post by lesstoneuk on May 13, 2021 22:00:00 GMT
I remember blowing a head gasket on the M6 on my way back to university in Edinburgh. I phoned the RAC and got them to deliver a head gasket to me. By the time they arrived, I had the head off, and duly changed the gasket and went on my way. Can't remember what I did for water. My old car ran out of water once when I was giving two of my Army mates a weekend lift home. Luckily as we had been to the pub beforehand between us we were able to save the situation... Yes, did that once.... You have to be very careful when filling the rad... Can't turn up at A&E like that. I've also used lemonade and stream water. Reset a cam chain gasket at the side of the M4 on my Chevette. Sorted the timing out using a light bulb with two wires attached. Yes, deffo going classic on my next car
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,911
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Post by JonL on May 13, 2021 22:04:07 GMT
I ditched my classic so I could concentrate on steam engines! I just like my car to carry them around and get me to work, it's become a tool like any other
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,438
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Post by dscott on May 14, 2021 1:56:58 GMT
This section has cheared me up tonight! Possibly it needs renaming? For some fun and ancient reviews watch HUB NUT on You Tube. Very Classical and underdog car enthusiast.
We or I watch Edd China and his new section. Met him of course. Had an MGBGT for 100 000 miles after I rebuilt it. Hit a LOG on my way to the Tiverton track and the 2 wires to the petrol pump got removed. Long nosed pliers lent by a passing Farmer. Deposited back in the old Pub on the left. Very rare to see anyone on that desolate road.
Our Tino gets petrol and its windows washed if dirty. It is useful but not inspiring.
David and Lily.
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lesstoneuk
Part of the e-furniture
Retired Omnibus navigation & velocity adjustment technician
Posts: 373
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Post by lesstoneuk on May 14, 2021 23:06:23 GMT
I saw under the bonnet of a mates MGBGT V8.... It looked like they dropped the complete V8 in, slammed the bonnet shut and any tubes, pipes and wires that stuck out were trimmed away.
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Post by andyhigham on May 15, 2021 9:10:21 GMT
Not a small car, my favorite car I have owned was a 1990 Lexus LS400 which I owned until around 2012. When I sold it there were over 300,000 miles on the clock yet it was perfect mechanically and body wise. The seats were obviously a bit worn but as comfortable as a favorite armchair. Under the bonnet was a magnificent 4 litre V8 DOHC engine which was almost silent, if you lifted the bonnet whilst running you could hear the injector nozzles ticking as they opened. Motorway MPG 29-30, town MPG 24-25, towing caravan MPG 19-20
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Post by Roger on May 15, 2021 14:18:03 GMT
Of course, things started going downhill when they removed the manual ignition advance/retard control... Ah yes, the halcyon days when you had to adjust the points, adjust the tappet clearances, clean the spark plugs, decarbonise the pistons and it was a lottery as to whether it would start after a downpour. We quickly forget what a pain these old vehicles were to own compared to the modern ones where we put fuel in and do a trivial service once a year. Complexity has brought a need for much better quality control, which was frankly dire on most vehicles 40 years ago. They're much better designed and are tested to extremes unthought of for vehicles of yesteryear.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2021 14:58:13 GMT
I drive an old car but it was leap years ahead of the competition at the time and thus 35 years later is still like driving a modern car, probably more reliable too... Pete
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stevep
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,070
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Post by stevep on May 15, 2021 15:04:09 GMT
I remember a chap I worked with in the 60s, who had a pristine Morris Minor. He was a gifted engineer, and ex Bristol aircraft company, and he had the car set up with special oil filters, etc. But he would change the oil every 500 miles, and re-build the engine every 5,000.
My diesel BMW does 56 MPG, and has an oil service every 15,000 miles.
As Roger said, they were nostalgic times, but whilst you can't work on a modern car without a computer, they have a reliability that is off the charts compared to older vehicles.
P.S. I remember a Mercedes owner I knew being told that his neighbour's Ford was really cheap to repair when it broke down. He replied that his car didn't break down.
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Post by Roger on May 15, 2021 15:11:06 GMT
I remember a chap I worked with in the 60s, who had a pristine Morris Minor. He was a gifted engineer, and ex Bristol aircraft company, and he had the car set up with special oil filters, etc. But he would change the oil every 500 miles, and re-build the engine every 5,000. My diesel BMW does 56 MPG, and has an oil service every 15,000 miles. As Roger said, they were nostalgic times, but whilst you can't work on a modern car without a computer, they have a reliability that is off the charts compared to older vehicles. P.S. I remember a Mercedes owner I knew being told that his neighbour's Ford was really cheap to repair when it broke down. He replied that his car didn't break down. I disagree that you need a computer to work on modern cars. All you need is a £10 diagnostic box you can pick up on eBay to plug into the diagnostics port. That tells you pretty much all you need to know about any sensor issues. It has two buttons, and you look up the codes online. It really is that simple. I bought my Smart Car with a dead engine, replacing the cylinder head on my drive with few issues. People are scared of modern cars because they don't understand them. Most of the time you don't need to do anything, they're that reliable. When they do play up, it's usually pretty easy to fix them, especially now you can join an online Forum and ask people what they think. Most of the time, someone will already have been there and you don't even need to ask.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2021 15:14:34 GMT
I remember a chap I worked with in the 60s, who had a pristine Morris Minor. He was a gifted engineer, and ex Bristol aircraft company, and he had the car set up with special oil filters, etc. But he would change the oil every 500 miles, and re-build the engine every 5,000. P.S. I remember a Mercedes owner I knew being told that his neighbour's Ford was really cheap to repair when it broke down. He replied that his car didn't break down. Haha...Merdedes not break down? They are terrible...ratings last year putting them as 22nd ranking with a 56% rating...My son says modern mercedes are crap. I think the Ford owner had the best approach...
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Post by Roger on May 15, 2021 15:28:52 GMT
I remember a chap I worked with in the 60s, who had a pristine Morris Minor. He was a gifted engineer, and ex Bristol aircraft company, and he had the car set up with special oil filters, etc. But he would change the oil every 500 miles, and re-build the engine every 5,000. P.S. I remember a Mercedes owner I knew being told that his neighbour's Ford was really cheap to repair when it broke down. He replied that his car didn't break down. Haha...Merdedes not break down? They are terrible...ratings last year putting them as 22nd ranking with a 56% rating...My son says modern mercedes are crap. I think the Ford owner had the best approach... Sadly most German cars are poorly designed and build, including my Smart Car which is much less reliable than any of the many and varied Japanese cars I've owned. That includes BMW and Porsche. A friend's Son works for a Porsche garage, and he's not impressed with them at all. Ford have certainly upped their game, because they were terrible in the 60's. However, they have dropped the ball with the Ecoboost engine which garages hate to work on. BMW have seriously dropped the ball with the Mini too, again, with garages hating them. A lot of the problems like this seem to be centred on fairly trivial issues, such as a failed seal. However, getting to them requires so much disassembly that it becomes outragously expensive to repair them. This looks really bad on the garage, even though it's not their fault.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2021 15:43:01 GMT
I agree Roger, today's models from any Marque are poorly built in comparison to the 80's. This is partly due to being computer designed where they are built to a price instead of built to last and being over engineered. Porsche are just as guilty except for their race bred models which are built to a different mantra altogether. Regarding diaognostics..'Bluedriver' is a great and cheap professionel tool which uses your mobile, can be bought for under £100. You can also get something like 'Streetwise' which is less than £20. Garages can't do this, they need to use the proper tools for a number of reasons...my son recently upgraded his kit, cost £5k...
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jem
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,066
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Post by jem on May 15, 2021 15:51:07 GMT
My Wife's Avaio 5 years old, a ball race in the gear box packed up, so needed a new gear box, expensive! I took the old gear box to bits, a mammoth job, and found the ball race's balls were getting on for half there original size, don't talk to me about wonderful modern cars, I will stick to my old, 28 years, 4L over the last 6 years has cost me perhaps 100 pounds in repairs, and starts first time every time too. perhaps a dangerous thing to say!!!
best wishes
Jem
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Post by ettingtonliam on May 15, 2021 16:20:14 GMT
About 1995, a colleague returning from a contract in the Middle east decided to treat himself to a new BMW. Sorry, can't remember what model. It was about the time BMW were boasting in their advertising about how air smoothed and quiet their bodies were. He loved the car, with one exception - at speed there was an annoying whistling noise in the region of the drivers door. The dealer replaced the door seals, twice which made no difference, then replaced the door which also made no difference, but because it was metallic paint, when they sprayed the new door, it wasn't quite the same colour as the rest of the car especially when seen at night under a street light. As you can imagine, by this time relations between the dealer and my colleague were pretty low. He wanted them to take it back and change it for a new one, but all they would offer was a pretty derisory trade in offer. At this point, both parties were only talking via their legal advisors. The car needed a service, no way he was taking it the original dealer, so he took it to another BMW dealer in a nearby town. They duly serviced it, and when he went to pick it up, the service manager said 'By the way, we noticed that the rubber plug sealing the drain hole at the bottom of the drivers door pillar was missing, so we fitted one for you. You know, if that plug is missing, you get a dreadful whistling noise, like an organ pipe, at speed. I'm surprised you didn't notice it---'
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